Wetting assistant for mercerizing cotton



Patented Aug. 6, 1.935

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Karl Brodersen, Dessau in Anhalt, .Germany', as-

signor to General Aniline W orks, Inc., New

York, N. Y.', a corporation of Delaware I No Drawing. Application September 10, 1931,

Serial No. 1930 12 Claims.

My present invention relates to. new wetting agents and more particularly to products to be used as assistants in the mercerization of cot:- ton.

I have found thatthose ethers of polyhydric alcohols which containat least two free hydroxy groups in the molecule, are valuable wetting agents for mercerizing lyes.. d

The compounds in question generally correspond to the formula.

. wherein A means an aliphatic radicle, containing at least three carbon atoms, R means an aliphatic radic1e containing less. than six carbon atoms, 2: stands for 2 or a whole number greater than 2 and y stands for 1 or a whole number greater than' 1. v

The ethers, particularly suitable in this respect, are the propyl ether, butyl ether, isobutyl 562,206. In Germany September 24,

to act upon an equimolecular amount of the sodiumcompound of monohydric alcohols. The ethers need not. be prepared inv a chemically pure state; the raw products obtainable according to the process set forth, already yield the desired result.

The ethers employed in the process are nearly colorless oilswhich arelsoluble in water and have a faint odor. They readily dissolve in mercerizing lyes, part of them with a feeble opalescence. Their aqueous solutions have no wetting power at all, this being brought out only-in strong .of the yarn or of the tissue is produced.

The effect of the process of this invention may be seen from the following comparative tests:

Hanks of cotton yarn are immersed in a mercerizing liquor of 30 B. and about 20 C.

Percentage of the shrinking oi the original length alter- Kind oi-yam Addition to the liquor Emma 20 40 so so 100 120 Boiled cotton yarn 10.5 12.8 12.9 13 13 1s Crude cotton y 0.4 1.4 2.5 3.6 4.3 6 Crude cotton yam. Glyeerinmono-butylether l g. per liter 4. 5 10. 6 13. 9 15. 8 16. 7 17. 5 Crude cotton yarn Glycerinmono-butylether 2 g. per liter... 13. 6 16.8 16.9 17 17 17 Grade yarn Glyoerinmono-amylether 2 gm: litcr.--.. 13 15.8 16.3 16.6 16.5 16.5

ether, the different amyl and hexyl ethers of The wetting power of my a'ssistance is clearly polyhydric alcohols with at least two free OH groups in the alcoholic radicle and more specifically such compounds which contain in summ'a'6 to 10 carbon atoms. As polyhydric alcohol from which the ethers derive, g ycerin is best suited on account of its ready accessibility and its property tobe easily etheriiied in one OH group; there can, however, also be employed corresponding esters of higher polyhydric alcohols such as, for instance, sorbite and those alcohols whose carbon chain is interrupted, forinstance, by oxygen bridges, such as diglycerine.

As representants of the preferred ,group I enumerate monopropyl glycerin ether, monobutyland isobutyl glycerin ether and the different 'monoamyl glycerin ethers. These monoethers may be prepared by causing the monochlorhydrines of the corresponding polyhydric alcohols shown in the foregoing table from the accelerated action of the strong caustic alkali lye which manifests itself in the shrinkage of the yarn. Thus,the degree of the wetting capacity is indicated in this table by the percentage of shrinking in the units of time. i

-'The amount of each assistant I add to the mercerizing lye may vary in certain limits. A'

good effect ;is obtainable when adding about 1 gram of a monoether of the kind described per liter of the lye; the quantity of the additional substance may be raised up to 5 grams per ter,

with 2 to 3 grams per liter.

What I claim is:

1. A process for mercerizing cotton which comprises submitting it to the action of a preparation however, generally a satisfying effect is reached consisting of an alkali lye and a compound which corresponds to the general formula /(OH):: A

wherein A means an aliphatic radicle containing at least three carbon atoms, R means an aliphatic radicle containing less than six carbon atoms, :1: stands for 2 or a whole number greater than 2, and y stands for l or a wholeznumber greater than 1. 4

2. A process for mercerizing cotton which comprises submitting it to the action of a preparation consisting of an alkali lye and a compound which corresponds to the general formula (5 -011 fu l-on COR H2 wherein R stands for an aliphatic radicle containing less than six carbon atoms.

3. A process for mercerizing cotton which comprises submitting it to the action of a preparation consisting of an alkali lye and a glycerin-monopropyl ether.

4. A process for mercerizing cotton which comprises submitting it to the action of a preparation consisting of an alkali lye and a glycerin-monobutyl ether. I

5. A process for mercerizing cotton which comprises submitting it to the action of a preparation consisting of an alkali lye and a glycerin-monoamyl ether.

6. A process for mercerizing cotton which comprises submitting it to the action of a preparatior consisting of an alkali lye and a compound which corresponds to the general formula C-OR H2 wherein R stands for propyl, butyl or amyl.

'7. A mercerizing lye consisting of a caustic alkali and a compound of the general formula wherein A means an aliphatic radicle containing at least three carbon atoms, R means an aliphatic radicle containing less than six carbon atoms, 1: stands for 2 or a Whole number greater than 2, and y stands for 1 or a whole number greater than 1.

8. A mercerizing lye consisting of a caustic a1- kali and a compound of the general formula H2 0-011 H-OH H2 o-on HC-OH wherein R stands for propyl, butyl or amyl.

KARL BRODERSEN. 

